Guardrail for switches



July 151., 1924.

B. T. GIBBS. JR

GUARDRAIL FOR SWITCHES Filed March 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [.llllll' IIIIIIIIIIlII'IIIIIII |..l.|||| ||||'.l

July 15, 1924.

B. T. GIBBS, JR

GUARDRAIL FOR SWITCHES Filed March 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 15, 1924,

STATES v 1,501,215 A'TENT OFFICE.

BENEDICT T. GIBBS, JR., OF CHICAGO HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MORDEN'FROG & CROSSING WORKS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

GUARDRAIL FOR SWITCHES.

Application filed March 3, 1924. Serial No. 696,579. 3 i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENEDICT T. GIBBs, J12, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago Heights, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Guardrails for Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to guard rails for 11) switches. The object of the invention is to provide a one-piece device of this kind which will perform all of the conventional requirements of combination guard rail, including protecting and guarding the switch point when open, and not interfere with the proper action of the switch.

The invention consists in means for attaining the foregoing and other objects; which can be easily and cheaply made;

which fits into place with switch constructions already in use; which is satisfactory in use and is not readilyliable to get out of order. More in detail, the invention consists in numerous features and details of-con- Figure 3 is a side view of the device of Figure' 1, taken on the line 3-3 of that figure. I Figure 4 is an end view partially in section on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view taken from the opposite end of the device of the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a transverse, sectional view of the line 66 of Figure 1.

The guard rail of this invention is shown in the drawings as applied to a main track rail 10 in conjunction with a cooperating switch point 12 adapted through the conventional operation of horizontally disposed bar 14 to be moved from the position of Figures 1 and 2 to a position at the left thereof where the switch point, having rocked struction which will be hereafter more fully about the joint 16 as a center, directly contacts the right hand face of rail 10 thereby permitting a train passing from left to right over the main track 10 of Figure 2 to pass upon the switch track 1216. The guard rail 20 of this invention applied to the track rail 10 is, as shown, made in one piece and of sufficient length to extend over at least three supported ties 2224 and 26 on which the main rail 10 rests. The central portion of the guard rail 20, supported by tie 24, is, as shown, substantially parallel to the rail 10 for a substantial longitudinal distance, being preferably but not necessarily separated therefrom by a central spacing lug 28 integral with the guard rail itself and fitting under the head of rail 10 as shown at 30, Figure 6. Through the guard rail 20 itself and this lug 28 extends a horizontal bolt 32 passing through the web of rail 10 as shown in Figure 6 to secure the guard rail in place at this point. The left hand end of the guard rail, as shown in Figure 1, flares slidingly away from the rail 10 in conventional angular lines 34 and 36, afiording ready entrance to the space 37 between the guard rail and main rail by the flange of a wheel traversing the main track rail 10. This angularly flaring entrance way to space 87 is in conventional manner partially filled by a block 38 designed to keep human feet and the like from entering and becoming wedged between the rail and guard rail. As shown in Figure 5 of the drawing, this protecting block 38 is carried from and is integral with bracket 40 extending from the inside of the guard rail 20 towards the rail 10 and is preferably but not necessarily perforated for the reception of a transverse bolt 44 securing the rail and guard rail together at this point.

A considerable saving ofmetal in block 38 is made by making this wedge member 38 comparatively thin and of the form shown in dottedlines of Figure 3. The opposite or right hand end of the guard rail, as shown in Figure 1, carries an integrally formed cap or hood 46 recessed on its underside, as shown at 48, Figure 4, to, when the parts are in the position of Figure 1, receive and protect the thin end 12 of the switch point so that a train wheel passing from space 87 between the rail 10 and the guard rail to the space 49 between the main rail and switch point cannot by any possibility strike and point.

interfere with the switch point end, thus causing derailment. This structure also provides a length of guard together with an angular flare to keep the wheels from striking a hard. side blow on the switch point 12 Fig. 2, thereby increasing the life of the This hood is made very heavy and strong so as to amply protect the switch point and act as a flare for easy entrance of wheels when traveling in opposite direction (right to left). By f creating this housed condition of switch point, the guard rail is allowed to become of length necessary to successfully keep wheels away from striking opposite point of closed switch point and, at

the same time, easy entry is allowed for tra ns going in opposite direction. Thls housing is carried by a suitably proportioned plate 50, securable to the tie 26 by spikes 52 passingthrough a switch slide plate 54 placed under the guard rail and main rail and adjacent to the main rail in conventional manner.

The guard rail is preferably but not necessarily provided at its side and to the left of the hood 46 with an opening 60 appearing in Figure 3 adapted to be entered by any suitable connecting device or tool for directly engaging the tip 12 of the switch point, such device to be used in lieu of the conventional switch bar 14, heretofore referred to.

The portion of the guard rail which is over tie 24 is carried directly upon an integral tie-plate 62, secured in place by spikes 64C and 66, the rail 10 resting on the plate as shown in Figure 6. In similar manner, the parts at the left hand end of the rail, as shown in Figure 1, are preferably but not necessarily supported upon and secured to tie 22 by an integral tie plate 68 secured in place by spikes 70, the rail 10 resting on this tie plate, as shown in Figure 5.

By the construction described, embodying as it does, the hood for theswitch point at one end, a foot guard at the other endspac- 7 ing devices in the middle and main rail securing devices all made in one piece, a highly satisfactory and efficient unitary structure is produced, much moresatisfactorv in installation and operation than anything heretoforein use. I

V The upper part of hood i6 is as clearly shown in Fig. 4;, preferably but not necessarily, faced with hard metal 46 and is made substantially higher at its center than rail 10, while tapered at its end 80 to about the level of the rail so as to insure wheels passing from right to left, Figs. 1 and 2, being switched over into contact with rail 10 thus insuring safe passage for the train.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. As an article of manufacture a one piece guard rail, having a central straight portion, an angular end portion carrying a foot guard, an opposite end port-ion provided with a hood for the reception of a switch rail point, and spacing blocks projecting from the guard rail toward a main rail to which it is to be applied.

2. As an article of manufacture, a one piece guard rail, having a central straight portion, an angular end portion carrying a foot guard, an opposite end portion provided with a hood for the reception of a switch rail point, and spacing blocks projecting from the guard rail toward a main rail to which it is to be applied, this in combination with means securing the device to a railroad rail and the ties supporting it.

i 3. As an article of manufacture, a one piece guard rail, having a central straight portion, an angular end portion carrying a foot guard, an opposite end portion provided with a hood for the reception of a switch rail point, and spacing blocks projecting from the guard rail toward a main rail to which it is to be applied, this in combination with means securing the device to a railroad rail and the ties supporting it, part of the latter including integral tie-plates passing under the rail.

4:. In a guard rail, a rail member proper (20), a hood at one end thereof affording a shelter beneath which an adjacent switch point can be located in one of its positions, and means directly connecting the hood to an adjacent fixed object, such as a tie, said hood being open at both ends so that switch point actuating means can be applied at BENEDICT 'T. GIBBS, JR. 

